A NEW community centre opens in Layton today (Thursday) to help tackle residents fears of crime and disorder.

The Community Contact Centre on Laycock Gate, opening at 10am, will be home to 'surgeries' where Queens Park flats residents will be able to meet police, firefighters and housing officials to voice their concerns.

Lancashire's Chief Constable Paul Stephenson will open the new centre. Blackpool North and Fleetwood MP Joan Humble is also attending, along with Blackpool Mayor Cllr Lily Henderson and Layton and Brunswick ward councillors Sue Wright and Maureen and Barry Cresswell.

A Lancashire Police spokesman said: "The contact centre, which police are keen to stress is not a police station, will act as a place where residents can go with general enquiries, or to report any matters of concern.

"It is also a place of contact and meeting place for partners such as Lancashire Fire and Rescue and the housing service and for the police who will be holding regular surgeries there. The opening of the centre forms part of the Reassurance Policing Programme, which aims to encourage members of the public to influence local policing to benefit the whole community."

Cllr Wright, whose council duties include addressing crime and disorder, added: "This new contact centre will be a real credit to the local community, and demonstrates the commitment that we and emergency services are making to ensure local issues are addressed."